Beast Beside You
by VerelLupin
Summary: Charlie encounters a strange animal but is unaware that there is more about their family that Miles has not told her. Not that Miles will tell, he never was very good at sharing. Marlie (Incest...you've been warned) (Crossover with Red Riding Hood)


**I was not going to get involved into another fandom until I got my stories updated but Revolution dragged me in. I am a newcomer to this ship and frankly I'm normally all like ewww about these type of ships but Miles makes it so impossible to be moral.**

**Why is Billy Burke so darn hot? I'm just extremely grateful none of my family members look like him.**

* * *

The wolf was large, much larger than it should have been possible. In fact it had been a very long time since such wondrous creatures had been spotted, at least that was what Aaron had told her.

After the lights went out and when food got scarce, every hunter worth anything had gone out and killed everything within the first few years of the blackout. Her father had spoken of seeing them in places called zoos but those had been the first ones emptied and neither she nor Danny had ever seen animals bigger than a deer.

Charlie tried not to make any sudden movements and catch its attention, not that the animal seemed to be aware of her presence. If it was, it certainly didn't seem to care as it was too busy eating a deer lying at the edge of the clearing.

She knew instinctively to back out slowly but fear made her hasty and she didn't see the dry twigs at her feet until she heard them snap beneath her boots.

The sound echoed and she froze as the creature lifted its bloody muzzle from its meal and turned its great big head towards her. Its eyes shined in the darkness and something in the way it tilted its head tugged at her memory, she'd seen that gesture before but she couldn't pinpoint where.

Charlie stood absolutely still and it reached her with a few steps of its massive paws. It leaned into her face and sniffed her, ruffling strands of her light brown hair across her eyes. It looked pointedly at her crossbow and forcibly hit it out of her white knuckled grip.

She stumbled with the hit but it steadied her with a light tug of its teeth on her shirt. It let go and nudged her trembling hands with its great head. Charlie numbly allowed it to lift her hand onto its shaggy head and move it back and forth beneath her hands.

Charlie realized with barely controlled terror that the animal was urging her to pet it. She hesitantly ran first one hand then another through its dark brown fur and watched in amazement as the giant animal purred loudly.

Fear gave way to curiosity and she touched the velvety ears and ran her fingernails experimentally from the top of its skull to the muscle where its neck met its back. "You're so warm," she said caressing the side of its face.

The animal growled low in its throat startling her into realizing that she was caressing a wild animal like it was a house cat. She carefully moved away and it whined at her but she couldn't continue pretending now. She knew Miles would come looking for her if she took any longer and she wouldn't want Miles getting hurt on her account. He did that often enough in her opinion.

"I have to go." She said apologetically and it nudged her hip back the way she came, seeming to understand that she had to leave then disappeared into the woods just as Miles' familiar form broke through the clearing.

"Where the hell have you been?" he said closing the distance between them in a few strides. "Danny and I have been looking for you for over half an hour."

"Hunting." She said pointing at the deer behind him.

"You kill it with your bare hands?" he said picking up her crossbow and handing it to her.

She took it and felt guilty that she'd been busing playing with a forest animal while he and Danny had no doubt been worried and looking for her. "I dropped it to get to the deer. I wasn't sure if I hit it."

Miles eyed her skeptically especially in light of the lack of arrow in the carcass. "What were you really doing?"

"I was hunting and I'm sorry I worried you. I didn't mean to lose track of time, it's just that…" she trailed off unsure of whether she should tell him of the magnificent animal she'd seen. If she told him at the very least he'd be pissed that she put herself at risk. If she didn't tell him then he'd think she was hiding things from him and getting his trust had been pretty difficult to begin with.

"Charlotte."

She squirmed at the use of her name. He only called her that when he was really annoyed with her. "I thought I saw a wolf…and I didn't want you to stop me from hunting if I told you about it so I said I shot the deer which in hindsight was stupid since it has no arrows in it and please don't lecture me, I already feel so stupid."

"Stop babbling." He said gently and pulled her into his arms. "I'm not mad…okay I am but I'm glad you fessed up. Did it try to attack you?"

She pulled away far enough to look up at him while still being held against his chest, "that's the weird thing. It just watched me and then tried to get me to pet it…"

"Aww Charlie, tell me you didn't," he groaned hugging her tightly.

"It cornered me, what else was I supposed to do?" she asked exasperated but enjoying his hands running through her long hair.

"Nothing else I guess. Do me a favor next time you decide to do something that stupid, lie to me okay." Charlie gave him a quick peck on the mouth and nodded, "now go and apologize for scaring your brother and Aaron half to death."

She gathered her cross brow and kissed him a little deeper, "I could apologize to you too."

"You will later, for making me hear them whine about leaving you alone, now get going before I change my mind and we both get in trouble." Charlie blew him a kiss and took off running.

He watched her dissapear into the trees and ran a hand over his face wondering once again how he'd gotten himself into such a mess. He was thinking that they better be extra quiet tonight when he noticed the glowing eyes watching him. "You can come out now, she's gone."

The wolf came out and if animals could smile, this one was smirking, Miles would bet his sword on it. "You think you are so cute, don't you?"

**'****She yours?'**

"In a way."

**'****Your scent is all over her.'**

"She's Ben's kid."

**'And everybody said I was the bad one.' **

"Ha, ha. What are you doing here?"

**'Passing by. Militia is everywhere. Keep trying to kill me.'**

"Apparently they're not trying hard enough." Miles muttered.

**'I figured you'd be happy I was alive, just think of how many times I've succeeded.'**

"Many, I'm sure."

**'So why are you leaving such a tasty morsel all alone? Militia's not exactly good to run into if you're a female, especially an attractive one.'**

"It's complicated."

**'How did you manage to get her out of Ben's sight? Somehow I don't think he'd approve.'**

"He's dead."

**'I'm sorry.' **The wolf bowed his head,** 'he was a good man, not like us.'**

Miles sat down heavily on a nearby rock, "tell me about it. I always wondered how the hell someone like him ended up in our family and my brother none the less."

**'Dumb luck. Speaking of, you might want to warn her about being so friendly and trusting. It could get her in trouble or worse,' **it said all trace of teasing gone from its voice.

"Too late."

**'Given that she's with you, and from your earlier display I can tell she is, I guess it is.' **

Miles gave the animal a dirty look and the somber mood was gone as the wolf grinned.** 'Maybe next time you can introduce us… cousin.'**

"Not unless I'm giving Charlie a lovely new pelt."

**'Worse ways to go and I can't say I blame you. She is gentle.'**

"That's cause she doesn't know to who you are related to, trust me that would change if she did."

**'It was worth it. I haven't had that since Suzette and even she was pretty rough.'**

"Matheson men aren't particularly lucky in that department are we?"

**'Your luck's changed, take care of her.'**

Miles rose and the wolf gave him a friendly shove,"stay lucky with the Militia."

**'Take the deer.'**

"I will."

**'See you around Miles, say hi to Charlie for me.' **

"Not on your life, Cesaire." Miles said with a growl.

The wolf gave a bark of laughter, kicked the deer to him and vanished into the darkness. Miles made sure he was actually gone, he didn't want to lead it back to Charlie and their camp. It didn't matter if Cesaire was family, that hadn't stopped what had happened between himself and Charlie and it certainly wouldn't stop his cousin from doing something equally idiotic.

He hacked off the hunk of meat where Cesaire had bitten it and dragged the dead animal onto his shoulders, "probably get rabies from the mangy thing," he said and made his way back to camp hoping that was the last of their family he'd run into.

Knowing his luck, he really doubted it.


End file.
